Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Grace Time Dark&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Grace Time Dark,’ having a good uniform canopy of dark purple single quill flowers with a light green disc. The new variety has a medium vigor, free branching, with a uniform spreading habit and good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/524,737, filed Nov. 20, 2003.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Grace Time Dark.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the variety name ‘Grace Time Dark.’

‘Grace Time Dark’, identified as 20911-29, was discovered as a whole plant mutation found in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety ‘Grace Time Pink’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application Ser. No. 60/524,339). The new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Grace Time Dark’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having dark purple single quill type flowers.

Comparison with Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ are similar to the parent variety ‘Grace Time Pink’ in plant habitat and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ compared to plants of the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ produces dark purple single quill flowers whereas the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ produces purple single quill flowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ have similar inflorescence to the plants of the parent ‘Grace Time Pink.’

Comparison with Other Varieties

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ are dissimilar to the variety ‘Scott’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,155) in plant habitat and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ differed from plants of ‘Scott’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ produces dark purple quill single flowers whereas ‘Scott’ produces purple spoon tip single flowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ have larger and taller inflorescence than plants of ‘Scott.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 58 days from the commencement of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Dark’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom in the month of September. The variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C. during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 foot candles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such as one B9 treatment at about 2 gm per liter. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with a response time of about 7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The new variety may be produced as a spray. The following description is with respect to a plant produced as pot. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

PLANT

-   Plant type: Pot. -   Habit: Upright and free branching. -   Height: 22 cm. -   Width: 32 cm. -   Stem:     -   -   Length (cm).—5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.8.         -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—139C. -   Branching characteristics: upright and free branching. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length (cm).—14.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.6.         -   Texture.—slightly pubescent. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 5 to 7. -   Response time: 52 days. -   Vigor: Medium. -   Shelf life: 21 days. -   Life of blooms: 21 days. -   Disease (susceptibility or resistance): None observed. -   Pest (susceptibility or resistance): None observed. -   Drought or temperature (susceptibility or resistance): None     observed. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter     B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking of unrooted cuttings. The     plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of     light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of     dark). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.         -   Rooting habit.—after 7 days the first roots emerge and form             root primordia. In 14 Long Days a complete root system is             developed.

FOLIAGE

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8 to 12. -   Compound or single: Single. -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.     -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.         -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4.5 Length (cm): 9.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Attachment.—petioled.         -   Aspect.—Slightly Undulating.         -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.         -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom:             Pubescent. -   Petiole:     -   -   Color.—139B.         -   Length (cm).—1.3.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.2. -   Venation:     -   -   Color.—upper side: 138B underside: 138C. -   Color:     -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—near 137C; under side: near 138A.         -   Young leaf, upper side.—near 137A; under side: near 138A.

FLOWER

-   Flower appearance: Matte. -   Flower type: Single quill. -   Flower form: Slightly cupped. -   Flower shape: Circular. -   Flowering habit: Cyme. -   Number of blossoms per branch: 5. -   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December. -   Inflorescence form: Cyme.     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1.5 cm.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—5 cm. -   Phyllaries     -   -   Number.—18.         -   Color.—138A.         -   Length.—0.7 cm.         -   Width.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture/Appearance.—Pubescent. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length (cm).—13.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.         -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.         -   Color.—138B.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.         -   Strength.—Strong. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—terminal (cm): 3; lateral (cm): 4.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.         -   Color.—138B.         -   Surface.—Pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.         -   Strength.—medium. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/Shape.—Straight and cylindrical.         -   Texture/Appearance.—matte.         -   Number per flower.—40.         -   Length (cm).—2.5 Width (cm): 0.4.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Tapered.         -   Margin.—Entire. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/Shape.—Cylindric.         -   Texture/Appearance.—Shiny.         -   Number per flower.—192.         -   Length (cm).—0.5; Width (cm): 0.1.         -   Diameter of disc.—1.2 cm. -   Fragrance: none observed. -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length (cm).—1.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.7.         -   Form/shape.—Globular. -   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 64A and 64D             Mature: near 64B and 68C Older/Fading: near 64C and 73C.         -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 68B Mature: near             68C Older/Fading: near 68C.         -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 151A Mature: near 151B             Older/Fading: near 151B.         -   4. Bud.—64A Flower progression with age: There is no change             with the flower form, but there is a slight color fading             with age.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Gynoecium present on ray and disc florets. -   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—40.         -   Stigma color.—154A.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—154B.         -   Style length (cm).—0.3. -   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—90.         -   Stigma color.—154A.         -   Stigma shape.—forked.         -   Style color.—154B.         -   Style length (cm).—0.3. -   Androecium: None observed. -   Fruit and seeds: None observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 